


laundry room|b.jh + k.sg

by jichicken



Category: Red Velvet (K-pop Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, Fluff, Originally Posted on Wattpad, based on actual events from my life, except i didnt get a cute gf :(, joohyun is a panicked gay, seulgi is a confident gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:09:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29334321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jichicken/pseuds/jichicken
Summary: Seulgi and Joohyun are both waiting in the laundry room together. Which would be fine, if Joohyun didn't have such a huge crush on her.
Relationships: Bae Joohyun | Irene/Kang Seulgi
Kudos: 4





	laundry room|b.jh + k.sg

Using her back to clumsily push the door open, Joohyun almost fell into the laundry room as her small frame struggled with the weight of her huge clothes basket. Staggering a little, she hoisted it onto her hip-bone, quickly looking around the room to see if anyone had seen her embarrass herself, but luckily she was alone.

After recovering her balance, Joohyun scanned the washing machines lining the walls, seeing that all were either in use or finished but still full, the owner of the clothes not bothering to have collected them on time.

A sigh escaping her lips, Joohyun walked over to the bench in the corner and, grimacing, wiped off a chunk of dryer lint that someone had deposited there instead of putting it in the bin right next to it. After cleaning the seat, she collapsed onto it, pulling out her phone and opening Instagram. She settled down, leaning her head against the wall and inhaling the soothing mix of washing powders and fabric softener as she began to mindlessly scroll.

The screech of the door's ageing hinges as it swung open made Joohyun's eyes snap up from her screen. Her gaze immediately darted back down after it landed on Kang Seulgi, who sat two seats to the left and one in front of Joohyun in her Wednesday lectures and had been the subject of her infatuation since she'd first met her at the beginning of the semester.

Seulgi emitted the same frustrated exhale that Joohyun had after seeing that every machine was occupied and made her way to the bench.

"Oh, hey Joohyun!"

She looked up at Seulgi with what she hoped was a bright smile, and offered a tiny wave with her sweater-pawed hand, "Hi!"

Fixing her hair into a ponytail, Seulgi's eyes glid back to the washing machines and she made a cute noise of annoyance through the hair-tie between her teeth, "There is a special place in hell for people who leave their clothes in the machine when they're done." She paused to take the band from between her lips and secure her hair, "I'm writing that god awful essay for Prof Shon's class and I don't have time to wait for these dicks."

Joohyun breathed out a laugh at Seulgi's dry remark and shuffled in her seat, hands clasping in between her thighs as she clenched them together and forced herself to ignore the anxiety fluttering in her chest, "Oh, I finished that one yesterday, how are you finding it?"

Seulgi's eyes widened at her admission, "No way! I'm not even halfway to the word limit and I literally have nothing else to say, it's so fucking hard. I knew you were smart, but not _that_ smart _._ "

Heat bloomed on Joohyun's cheeks at the compliment and she ducked her head, pushing her glasses up on her nose to busy her slightly shaking hand. Seulgi muttered something she couldn't hear and Joohyun quizzically lifted her gaze up, one eyebrow raised.

"Sorry, what did you-"

Joohyun was cut off by the grating squeak of the door shrilling out once more as two people walked in, both carrying empty clothes baskets. Her eyes wandered to Seulgi, chest swelling slightly when she saw her staring down the people with what looked like an attempt at a glare, but she was really just narrowing her eyes at them adorably, her nose scrunching at its bridge.

Seulgi and Joohyun watched the pair empty their washing machines and leave, before getting up to do their laundry.

"They didn't even apologise for taking forever to collect their cheap ass, nike rip-off shit!"

Joohyun giggled in response to Seulgi's indignance, opening the machine and bending down to load her clothes in. She filled the drum to halfway, putting in the washing tablet and then pulled a bottle of fabric softener out of her basket and uncapped the lid. The smell immediately filled her with a feeling of calm and without thinking, Joohyun bought the bottle closer to her nose, letting her eyes flutter shut as she inhaled deeply.

"Are you... huffing fabric softener?"

Eyes immediately opening, Joohyun spun around to face Seulgi, her arms slightly flailing and upsetting the bottle in her hand, causing some of the liquid to spill out onto her skin. Embarrassment crawling through her body, Joohyun stammered out an explanation, "I- I just like the smell." Her head dipped so that her gaze met the floor, "It reminds me of my mum." 

"No, no, I wasn't making fun of you," Seulgi strode over and pulled a tissue from her bag, using it to wipe the spilt fabric softener on Joohyun's arm, before sliding her finger under Joohyun's chin and tilting her head so that their eyes were locked, "You looked really cute."

The compliment made Joohyun's stomach fill with warmth and she swallowed heavily, heart thumping in her chest. Flustered, she pulled away from Seulgi's shining gaze and, murmuring a thank you, turned back to her washing machine.

She pressed the start button, looking at the running time on the machine and setting a timer on her phone so that she wouldn't be one of the assholes forcing other people to wait. Then, still avoiding her gaze, Joohyun bid Seulgi a goodbye,

"I'll see you in half an hour, I guess."

She didn't wait for a reply and turned to leave, hearing Seulgi echo her words just as the door swung to a close behind her.

The cool autumn air soothed her burning cheeks as she made the short walk to her dorm. When she arrived back, she sat down at her desk and reached for her pencil case and notebook, deciding to write up some of her lecture notes in order to get Seulgi out of her mind.

Twenty-five minutes later, her phone's alarm rang out and made Joohyun jump slightly. She stood up, grabbed her basket and walked back to the laundry room.

Her heart sunk in disappointment when she entered and found the room empty. Joohyun scoffed at herself as she crouched in front of the machine and started to unload it.

The piercing noise of the door opening made her stomach clench and she tried to casually look over her shoulder, a smile tugging at her lips when she saw Seulgi looking down at her.

"Hi, again."

Seulgi returned the greeting and came to stand by Joohyun, watching her fill up the basket.

"Wouldn't it be easier to just put the clothes directly into the dryer?"

Without looking back, Joohyun answered, "Don't use it. These prices are an actual rip off so I just dry my clothes on a rack in my room."

"Fair enough."

Joohyun finished her task and stood up, turning to Seulgi, trying to find an excuse to stay talking for a bit longer.

"You know, if you were really struggling with Prof Shon's essay, I could help you with it?"

Seulgi's eyes crinkled as she smiled, pulling Joohyun into her arms, gently squeezing her in a way that made joy swell in her chest, "That would be great, thank you so much, Joohyun!"

Awkwardly returning the hug, Joohyun smiled into Seulgi's shoulder, "No problem."

Seulgi released her from her embrace and fixed Joohyun's glasses from where they'd been slightly skewed. The action made a breath catch in Joohyun's throat and she desperately hoped that her face wasn't as red as it felt as she stared into Seulgi's eyes, warm with an emotion Joohyun couldn't quite place. Seulgi's hand slipped from the arm of her glasses so that her finger was resting on her cheekbone and gentle shivers chilled the skin.

Gaze slipping down, Seulgi pulled back her hands and started to fiddle with the hem of her shirt, her demeanour changing to one of slight apprehension, "After you help me with my essay, would you maybe like to get a drink with me? It's fine if not but I just thought..."

Seulgi trailed off and Joohyun immediately filled the silence,

"Of course, I'd love to!

Seulgi's head shot up at her reply and her bright aura immediately returned. Joohyun's chest fluttered at the beam glowing on her face.

"I'd better be going, I've got some work to finish but you have my number? From our class group chat?" Seulgi nodded, "Great, just message me to let you know when you're free."

Joohyun bent down and hoisted the basket back onto her hipbone, feeling almost dizzy with happiness, and walked over to the door, "I'll see you for that study session then?"

A goofy smile involuntarily stretched out on Joohyun's lips as Seulgi winked and replied in a teasing tone, "It's a date."


End file.
